Why run a headline on a curve? In this package, it helps add interestand it works naturally with the illustration. The lower curved headline echoes the design at the top.

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Why we need to ask why

WHEN WE WERE KIDS,many of us drove our parents to distraction with “why” questions. The classic, of course, is “why is the sky blue?”

You can be sure there were others:

• Why is it dark at night?

• Why is the water wet?

• Why is up?

We were full of “the whys” back then.

As designers, we can take a good lesson from that. We can remember to ask “why.”

As in:

• Why am I putting this in a box?

• Why am I jumping this story?

• Why am I using this color?

Sound design demands that every element on the page needs a reason to be there. If its existence cannot be explained, then it’s extraneous—and therefore bad design.

There are basics to good design, such as contrast, unity, focus and the like. Every element on the page needs to contribute to sound design approach.

You see, design isn’t “playing with the page.” It isn’t “Let’s see how this looks.” It isn’t “Throw a tint behind that story and see if it works.”

Good design is a discipline. It’s a cabinet maker using his measuring tools, remembering to “measure twice…cut once.” It’s that same cabinet maker using his plane to smooth the surface of a dresser.

And it’s that same cabinet maker running his fingers along the grain of the wood, using his years of experience to feel for those places that are still a bit rough, still a bit unfinished.

When he finds those spots, he’ll work to remove them. Because they don’t belong.

One of our tasks as designers is to use our experience to find those elements that don’t belong—and remove them.

We do that every time we ask ourselves “why.”

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BEST-READ

Expand your design thinking. Achieve greater insight into design and the design process. Learn how to help your staff do a better job of designing your paper. It’s all here for you, in some of Ed’s best-read columns.

Full-time consulting can be a tough business. There are the flight delays, the lonely hotel rooms, the over-long business dinners, the endless meetings, the pushy clients…

Feeling sorry for me yet? I didn’t think so. And I wouldn’t either, if I were you. There’s not one consultant I’ve met yet who really wants to be be doing anything else.

And some consultants are just, well, downright arrogant. They have forgotten the lesson that real consulting lies in our ability to teach—and that the best teaching occurs when we learn from each other.

Some day, you’ll work with a consultant—because a good consultant can help you to find the answers to questions that are critical to your work.

When you do, listen to the consultant—but also listen for those tell-tale sentences that let you know you’ve got a problem. Some of my favorites follow.

Words you don’t want to hear from your consultant:

“I’ll have that done in no time.”

“There’s nothing too big that we can’t handle for you.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“We’ll fix it when I get there.”

“You’re not ready for that level yet.”

“If I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

“It’s more complex than you could appreciate.”

“This is worse than I thought.”

“If you had called me sooner, it wouldn’t have gotten this bad.”

“What made you think you could fix this without my help?”

“The answer is there—you just don’t know where to look.”

“The answer is easy—‚just look in your manual.”

“There is no answer.”

“I’m sorry—you’ll just have to wait until I get there.”

“You’re my most important client.”

“When we give you a date for installation, you can count on it being done.”

“You want that when?”

“That’s not in our contract.”

“Let me think it over. Then I’ll tell you what you should do.”

“Why don’t you just leave that all up to me.”

“We’d have to add to your fee for that.”

“This is the way we’ve done it for all of our clients.”

“Why would you want that?”

“We’ve found that our method works best for all clients.”

“We prefer to do it ourselves. Then we can give it to you.”

“If we let too many people in on the project, they’ll just have too many questions.”

“The more we let people know, the more confused they could become.”

“Planning is not important. Training is important.”

“Training is not important. Planning is important.”

“Training is not important. Planning is not important. Getting this project done on time is important.”

“Getting this project done on time is not important.”

And this last one is my absolute favorite. Without doubt, the two words you never—ever—want to hear from a consultant are:

The more I consult, the more I learn to think of myself a consultant first—and a designer second. Experience has taught me that the design often comes easy—and, yes, some are better than others—but getting the design to work in your newsrooms is often the more difficult mission.

I’ve learned this from you.

Here are some of the things I hear in your newsrooms, conference rooms and hallways:

“We’ve never done it that way before.” “You wanna do what?” “Why would you want to do that?” “We tried that once before and it didn’t work.” “Where else have you done that?” “That may have worked there—but it won’t work here.” “You’re asking too much from us. We’re not capable of that.” “Bob would be a great managing editor—if only he could manage.” “Bob would be a great managing editor—if only he could plan.” “Bob would be a great managing editor—if only he could make a decision.” “Bob would be a great managing editor—if only he weren’t so afraid of confrontation.” “Bob would be a great managing editor—if only he weren’t so negative.” “Oh, no…I couldn’t move Bob. That would be unfair to him.” “We don’t have time to plan. We’re too busy.” “This is just impossible.” “They never give me enough time.” “They never give me enough space.” “They never give me enough equipment.” “Those people in advertising just don’t understand what we do here in the newsroom.” “Those people in advertising don’t give a damn about the first amendment.” “Those people in advertising are only interested in the almighty buck. “Those people in advertising couldn’t care less about deadlines.” “Those people in the newsroom don’t understand that advertising pays their salaries.” “Those people in the newsroom don’t care if we ever make a profit.” “Those people in the newsroom are only interested in stirring things up.” “Why am I always the last to know?” “Why do I always get things too late?” “How come no one here ever tells me anything?” “Why can’t our reporters make deadline?” “Why can’t our reporters get more quotes in their stories?” “Why can’t our reporters write a complete sentence?” “Why can’t our reporters write more clearly?” “Why can’t our reporters write shorter?” “Why can’t our reporters write? “Why do I have to sit in on these boring meetings?” “We never get anything accomplished at our meetings.” “We never get anything decided at our meetings.” “When is he going to make a decision?” “When is he going to do something?” “He decided what?” “No one here gives a damn about journalism.” “No one here gives a damn about news.” “Just take a number, will ya? I’m too busy right now to talk to any readers.” “Our readers just don’t care.” “Our readers are too dumb to care.” “Our readers just don’t understand.” “Our readers wouldn’t know a good story if it hit ’em in the face.” “We’re in the business of writing.” “We’re in the advertising business.” “We’re in business to make money.” “Whose bright idea was that?”